Trying to find a book written by a British female fantasy writer.

[jring2]

I am looking for a book written by a female British fantasy author. I picked it up and began to read it in travel and then gave it back to its owner when arriving at destination. In the rush to deplane I stupidly didn't get the title or author's name though I know it was a British female writer and from the bio she also spent time in South Africa.

In the book which dealt with dragons she described a dragon ritual she termed "fall mate". It was a very romantic and descriptivecoming together of two dragons in flight (in case that might prompt some tips on who she was.)

Her book was very poignant and rich in character development. The jacket listed a few of her other books so she has writen a few (Nope don't have their titles either.)

Anyway I would like to finish that book and would enjoy reading her other books as well. Thought it was quite well written.

This is a repost of an earlier one that got lost in the server crash which removed all my requests, so if you responded before, please still offer again.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

Sounds like Anne McCaffrey and she is an Irish Author.
A few of her books are: Dragonflight,Dragonquest,Dragonsong,Dragondrums,The WhiteDragon,Dragonlady,Dragonsinger,Dragonsdawn.

Just to name a few.

 

[chrispenycate]

Could be Pern, yes. Fall being when thread comes from the sky.

Can't remember the first book to describe the mating ritual, but I always got the impression the sensation was shared lust, rather than being what I'd call romantic.

If so, McCaffrey's got her own subforum here.

But she was born in Boston (sorry, looked it up, Cambridge) Massachusetts, and I don't remember anything about South Africa...

 

[jring2]

I've got to say Anne McCaffrey is probably the closest an American writer comes to this author. I have researched McCaffrey already and concluded it was not her. Very similar though. This author was very good. I wonder if the look and feel of England gives British authors an edge on fatasy / dragon / medieval writing? (bet that comment opens a can of worms.)

Question - was fallmate an Anne McCaffrey thing too? (or in this case did she originate it?) The author I read was younger from the cover bio so her reference to it might have come from Anne. I would guess Anne McCaffrey must have influenced this writer as their styles are similar. However, in this book no humans interacted at all with the dragons. It was about the dragons culture amongst themselves. Besides "fallmate" She referenced "mind calls" to "The Circle" "The Clans". "Mindmelds" and "unconsciously broadcasting". (can't remember more I'm afraid.)

And thanks Who's Wee Dug. And thanks chrispenycate. I am with you on the shared lust thing in fallmate but they are dragons after all. One has to imagine the adrenaline rush from the separation at the end a mere half wing span above the ground just in time to avoid total annihilation has to add to the experience. But in all the surrounding dialogue their interacton with each other was described rather romantically.

Anyway the writing was similar. Anne was a good call - but doesn't fill the known data I'm afraid. I have gotten into a couple of Anne's books as a result of the search to find, and liked her as well. If you know of any writers with similar style, I can research them as well.

Please keep the ideas coming. I am becoming a bit obsessed with the search and am running out of ideas of where to look.

Thanks in advance for anyone who helps.

Possible correction. I did not get to read the whole book. It is possible that there is human interaction later in the book. But the part I read only related to the dragons culture amongst themselves personifying their interaction.

 

[murphy]

I haven't read it, but could it be Jo Walton's Tooth & Claw. See here for details: Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton

 

[Ian Whates]

Ah, good call, Murphy! Because Jo has fled these shores I tend to overlook her when thinking of British fantasy authors.

 

[jring2]

I haven't read it, but could it be Jo Walton's Tooth & Claw. See here for details: /quote]


Thanks for the input, Ian. It was a good call. I researched it and her background. Content is similar - style a bit different but close - but her bio doesn't fit. Jo Walton is Welsh and lives in Montreal. Still the book you mentioned has much of the same type of approach.

The author I read is definitley born in England - lives northern England at the time of the books publishing and spent time in South Africa. (with all I remember from the forward one would think I could at least have remembered her name huh? )

I will continue the quest and I really appreciate all who have weighed in.
Please keep the ideas coming. This olast one was really close.

 

[murphy]

If you can't find the answer here, try posting in this Usenet group. Title it YASID (yet another story ID) and list all the details you can, including the approximate year in which you read the books.

 

[jring2]

Ni Murphy. Thanks for your input - both times. Sorry but I think I gave Ian the credit by mistake. - I will indeed broaden the search - But hopefully this one might produce more ideas too.

Thanks again